Rail connection.



W. H. GRIPPS.

RAIL CONNECTION.

APPLIGATION FILED 001. 6, 1911.

Patented J an. 2, 1912.

lNVENTOR I ATTORNEYS WILLIAM H. CRIPPS, OF NEW BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL CONNECTION.

Application filed October 6,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2, 1912.

1911. Serial No. 653,286.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM H. CRIPPs, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at New Bethlehem, in the county of Clarion andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Rail Connections, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to rail connections, and the primary object of myinvention is to provide a novel rail fastener for securing theconfronting ends of rails upon a tie, whereby the confronting ends ofsaid rails cannot become vertically or laterally displaced.

Another object of my invention is to provide a rail joint that presentsa continuous tread for rolling stock, thereby elin'iinating the jarringand bumping experienced by rolling stock passing over a joint.

A further object of this invention is to obviate the necessity of usingnuts and bolts for connecting the confronting ends of rails.

A still further object of this invention is to accomplish the aboveresults by a rail fastener that can be easily installed andn'ianufactured at a comparatively small cost.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention resides in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to behereinafter specifically described and then claimed.

Reference will now be had to the drawing, wherein Figure l a perspectiveview of the rail connection, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view ofthe same, and Fig. 3 is a bottom plan of a detached fastener.

The reference numeral 1 denotes a portion of a tie having the topthereof cut away to provide a seat 2 for a rail chair 31 adapted tosupport the confronting ends of rails l and 'lhe rails -land 5 haveabutting webs with the heads of said rails cut. away to interlock. as atT and present a continuous tr ad that allows the wheels of rollingslot-k to pass on to one of the heads before lea ing the other. therebypreventing the heads from being broken and forming an uneven lread lorrolling stock. The ('ln I} Is retain d upon the seat 2 by bolts 8 orother fastening lIIl:iI|\' lltl\''llig the heads or upper ends thereotcountersunk in the ends of the chair and the op posite ends extendingthrough the tie. The chair 3, at one end thereof, has an integral splicebar 9.o0rresponding in width to said chair, and this splice bar extendsover the base flanges 10 of the rails 4 and 5 andengages the webs andthe under sides of the heads of said rails. The opposite or inner end ofthe rail chair has the side thereof provided with longitudinal grooves11.

Detachably. mounted upon the inner end of the chair is an inner fastened12 having an integral splice bar 13 extending over the base flanges 10of the rails 4 and 5 and bracing the webs and heads thereof. The splicebar 13 has pins 14: extending through openings provided therefor in thewebs 6 of the rails and into sockets 15 formed in the splice bar 9 andthese pins prevent 10ngitudinal displacement of said rails between thesplice bars 9 and 13. The inner fastener 12 has the sides thereofprovided with depending angle tongues 16 extending into the grooves 11of the rail chair 3, and

the under side of the inner fastener is cut away to provide a recess 17.Mounted in the recess 17 by a screw 18 or other fastening means is aflat spring 19 that extends under the lip 20 of a locking block 21. Thisblock is adapted to engage in a socket 22 provided therefor in the railchair 3, whereby said inner fastener will be locked relatively to saidchair.

Extending under the outer end of the spring 19 is a'rod or shaft 23 heldin engagement with the inner fastener 12 by plates 24. The rod or shaftextends through one of the end walls of the inner fastener and isprovided with a knob or handle 25, whereby said rod or shaft can beeasily rotated. The rod or shaft has a cam or crank 26 engaging theunder side of the spring 19, and when the rod or shaft. 33 is rotated aquarter of a revolution, the free end of the flat spring- 15) iselevated to move the locking block .41. out of the socket 22, wherebythe inner fastener 12- and the spli e bar 13 thereof can be shifted offof the inner end of the chair 3.

The rail fastener in its entirety is made of strong and durable metal,and while in the drawing there is illustrated a preferred einbmliinentof the invention, it is to be understood that; the structural elenu-ntsthereof are susceptible of such variations as fall within the scope ofthe appended claims.

What I claim is v 1. In a rail connection, the combination with a tie,and rails adapted to have the ends thereof supported by said tie, of achair secured to the top of said tie and supporting the ends of saidrails, 21- splice bar formed integral with the outer end of said chairand bracing the outer sides of said rails, an inner fastener slidablymounted upon the inner end of said chair, a splice bar carried therebyand bracing the inner sides of said rails, a movable block arrangedwithin said inner fastener and adapted to engage in said chair forlocking said fastener relatively to said chair, and means including ashaft and a spring arranged within said inner fastener for moving saidblock whereby said inner fastener can be shifted off of said chair.

2. In a rail connection, the combination with a tie, and rails adaptedto have the thereby and bracing the inner sides of said rails, pinscarried by said bar and extending through said rails into the outersplice bar, a spring arranged-in said inner fastener, a block supportedby said spring and extending into said chair for locking said innerfastener relatively to said chair, and

means including a shaft and cam arranged below said spring and operablefrom one side of said inner fastener for elevating said block to releasesaid inner fastener.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM H. GRIPPS.

Witnesses MAX H. SRoLovrrz, CHRISTINA H001).

